


House of the Rising Sun

by YouveGotAFiendInMe



Series: House of the Rising Sun [1]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Dad Deceit, Dadceit, Eventual Smut, M/M, Magic, New Orleans, Old Magic, Shapeshifter, Slow Burn, Werewolf, Witch - Freeform, mermaid, vampire
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-19
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-02-12 23:04:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21484309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YouveGotAFiendInMe/pseuds/YouveGotAFiendInMe
Summary: Darcy is an immortal witch living in New Orleans who was doomed to be alone forever after he trades his mortality for unlimited power, but the witch of New Orleans has so much more in store for him than he's ever expected.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil/Creativity | Roman, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders/Deceit Sanders, Dr. Emile Picani/Sleep | Remy Sanders, Logic | Logan Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders, October | Toby Sanders/Procrastination | Nate Sanders
Series: House of the Rising Sun [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1581151
Comments: 30
Kudos: 79





	1. Chapter 1

The day Darcy of Lightweld’s coven had been born, he had been destined for greatness. He was the son of two of the most powerful witches to ever live, and because of that, the ability to cast spells was as easy as breathing was for him, and with a childhood full of joy and wonder, it was no surprise to any of his coven that by the time he had hit age twenty, he was the most powerful of them all, and he had made it his life's mission to bring good things to the world, and to make it a better place for everyone.

The funny thing about destiny, is, that it often has the exact opposite of what we want in mind.

Darcy was running, tears burning in his eyes as his legs throbbed and ached from him pushing his body to its limits, but he couldn’t stop, not until he made it to the woods where he would be able to seek out the spot where things of great power resided. He made it to the clearing in the woods, and he surged forward to stand in the middle of it.

“Hello?” He called out, breath visible in the cold air despite it being summer, “I-I’ve come from the coven of Lightweld. Please, something terrible has happened, I need help.”

Whispers swirled around Darcy, and he stumbled back, foot catching on a root, sending him to the ground with a grunt.

“_There’s a price to pay for power, young Lightweld_.” the voices surrounding Darcy said, and he found himself growing dizzy from the sheer magnitude of voices, “_You’ll lose your mortality_."

"I don't care." Darcy choked out, "I need the power to save them; damn my mortality."

"_You know better than anyone that witches are disowned from their covens once they're immortal_." the voices commented, cruel laughter surrounding Darcy, "_You wouldn't be one of them anymore. You'd be a dark witch, marked, an outcast_."

Darcy did in fact know all of that to be true, but his thoughts went to his family, his friends, his coven, and the fire his village had erupted into, and how women and children were dragged from the men, how they'd been put in cages. Darcy made a decision in that moment, one that he knew wasn't even a decision, it was what he had to do.

"I don't care. Do what you have to, just grant me the strength to save them." He repeated, tears washing down his face.

"_As you wish, Darcy_." The voices purred.

The clearing was suddenly silent, and Darcy felt his heart constrict painfully in fear. Had they changed their minds? Were they going to leave him powerless, even after promising to help him? Had he really come all this way for nothing?

Darcy was just about to turn to run back to his family, but he felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his chest, and he doubled over as a cold like nothing he'd ever felt spread from his heart outwards. The pain was maddening, and Darcy's eyes began to burn, as did the left half of his face, and he wailed in agony and collapsed in a heap. He was dying, that he was sure of, and the sounds of his screams and his pulse hammering in his ears were the only indication that he was still there, still alive. The icy chill reached his fingertips, and he felt hot tears drip down his face, his shrill wailing in agony continuing as he felt something deep and warm and pure ripped from him.

Just as Darcy was sure it would never end, his heart gave one last beat, and the pain was gone, as was his mortality.

It didn't hurt anymore, nothing did, but his vision was blurred, and he scrambled to a nearby pond, only to choke on a sob as he saw what the spirits had done to him. His once stunning violet eyes were no more, replaced by yellow eyes of a serpent, and the left side of his face was covered in shining, yellow scales, and just as he opened his mouth to scream in horror at what he saw, he realized he now too also had fangs.

He was hideous, no longer a man, but a beast, but with his new appearance, he felt power unlike any other surging deep within his bones, and he knew he was powerful enough to stop the massacre of his people, and with a wave of his hand, he teleported himself to the holding cell his coven was being held in, only to find it empty. They were gone, but they had been there, of course, as blood stained the floor under Darcy's feet, and he let out something akin to a growl before storming out of the cell.

When the humans who had just murdered his coven caught sight of him, they all jumped up for their weapons, but Darcy turned them to ash with a single thought, and grabbed one of them by the hair, throwing him to the ground.

"You human _filth_ killed my coven." He snarled, eyes narrowed and deadly, "And for that, I'm going to make you ssssuffer."

Darcy drew magic from every inch of his body, tilting his head back, looking up at the full moon, "Sssince you animalssss enjoy murder sssso much, let me gift you ssssomething." He released a tidal wave of magic that slammed into everyone in the small town, watching as they all went down and began to scream and cry, bodies transforming into that of a wolf, "On every full moon, you and any of your children sssshall be cursssed to turn into wolvessss! May thissss be torture enough to ssshow you what you've done!"

With that, Darcy was gone.

\---

"You _beassssts_!" Darcy hissed, trembling with anger as he entered the clearing where he had been made immortal, "You did thisss knowing they were gone!"

"_We warned you_." The voices taunted, coming out demented and wrong, "_And now, you'll spend eternity alone_."

Darcy was prepared to lash out, burn the forest to the ground, destroy the stupid place, but he realized that they were right. He had been warned, but he didn't heed the warning, and this was all his fault.

"What now?" He croaked, suddenly very tired.

"_That's up to you, Darcy_." The voices cackled, "_Just remember this on those nights you're so painfully alone that you want to die. You chose this, little Lightweld_."

Darcy fell to his knees, tears falling once again, and even with all the power in the world at his disposal, he suddenly felt completely powerless.


	2. Chapter 2

"Magic is the way of most here in New Orleans." A man donned in a stylish suit and tie explained as he walked, each step punctuated with a tap on the ground from his walking stick, "And many things are drawn from by those lucky enough to be able to use magic, be it the moon, the elements, or inner strength."

The crowd that followed behind the man snapped photos as they'd stop to listen to the man speak, all completely lost in the inhuman gracefulness the man exhibited with each step.

"But, the thing to remember is that true magic is hard to come by these days." He drawled lazily, absentmindedly touching the yellow stone that hung from his neck, "In fact, most of the people here are simply quick witted, or good at scamming people."

"What about you?" A voice behind him asked, and he spun on his heel to face the crowd.

"What about me, doll?" He questioned, rubbing his gloved thumb and pointer finger together just for something to occupy his hand with.

"Well, are you telling us the truth?" The person questioned.

He narrowed his eyes, scoffed, giving a sharp shake of his head, "I never once claimed to offer anything but a tour of some lesser known areas of the city. Besides, if I were lying, why would I remind you lot to be wary?"

"Well, yeah, but you told us to call you Deceit." Another member of the tour piped up.

"Stage name, pet. We all have them, especially when it comes to being a performer." He held up a gloved hand as someone opened their mouth to speak, "I'm a performer in that I'm putting on a show for all of you. I'm taking you around, making you see things as more than you normally would. Now, if nobody else has questions, may I continue my tour?"

Darcy finished the tour just as the sun began to set, and after locking up the small office he rented for private fortune readings, he waved a hand, walking stick vanishing.

It was warm, but then again, he was in New Orleans, but he found that the warm weather did nothing to him, as when he had traded his mortality years prior, he lost the ability to grow overheated or cold, and so he didn't bother with trivial things like changing out of his suit, since he could very well do that once he got home later.

The streets smelled of must, rain, and just a little bit like magic, and Darcy tilted his head back with a soft hum of appreciation at how the magic enveloped his body. It was the closest to warmth he'd felt since he had lost his mortality, and it was welcoming, homey, and familiar. It was peaceful.

Darcy's peace was abruptly shattered as his foot connected with the edge of a cardboard box, and he stumbled slightly, letting out a hiss of frustration. Why had some idiot left their garbage so close to the sidewalk instead of disposing of it properly? Did people not realize how something so seemingly small could ugly up such a beautiful city?

Just as Darcy was pressed to kick to box, he heard a soft squeaking coming from inside, like that of a kitten, and disgust replaced his annoyance. Someone had left cats there? On the fucking sidewalk of all places?

He tugged his slacks up some so he could bend over, then crouched, flicking one of the cardboard flaps of the box, which he noted was wet, probably from the day's earlier rain. When he heard a weak and pitiful crying, any sense of curiosity and caution was gone, and he opened the box as quickly and carefully as he could, and a hand flew to his mouth to stifle his gasp of horror.

It wasn't kittens. No, kittens might have been better, since they could survive at least a small period of time away from a mother, but this, this was a baby. Small and red, voice gone from screaming and crying for hours, wrapped only in a dirty piece of fabric, and Darcy felt anger for the first time since his people had been massacred, anger, because this wasn't just a baby, this baby was inhuman, with cat ears and a lashing tail, and big, green eyes. This poor thing must have been heard, but when humans had seen it, they had run and left it there to die.

Before Darcy was aware of what he was doing, he shed his jacket, not even caring that the expensive suit jacket would be ruined by the grimy baby, and he took the infant, wrapping it with care before cradling it close to his chest.

"Oh, you poor thing." He whispered, tugging the glove of his right hand off with his teeth, shoving it in his pocket as he stood up straight, "Such a lovely creature left abandoned."

The baby had stopped crying, or, rather, attempting to cry, and looked up at Darcy with curiosity, eyes wide and curious.

Darcy reached his hand down to cup the baby's cheek, using his thumb to wipe grime away from the baby's face, "Well, this certainly won't do. It looks like you'll be coming home with me, kitten. How does that sound?"

The baby simply shut its eyes, seemingly soothed just from such small contact, and with a small smile, Darcy shook his head, "Just like that and you've claimed me as your own, have you? Very well, kitten, looks like I'll have to make up somewhere for you to sleep at my home, yes?" He asked as he began to walk, "I really should read up on children, perhaps, Goddess knows it's been centuries since I've been near one."

Not wanting to waste time on the street, Darcy snapped his fingers, appearing in a friend's home, and he kept the newborn held gently in his arms as he called out, "Tobias! I'm quite in need of your knowledge of children at the moment!"

Tobias, or Toby (though he hated that nickname), peeked his head into the room Darcy was in, "Do you know how to use a door? Or, like, call?"

"Yes, yes, an invasion of privacy, I'm a malicious bastard, I know it all." Darcy scoffed with a wave of his hand, "All of that is unimportant. I found a baby, and I need your help so I can figure out how to care for it."

"Shouldn't you, I dunno, take it to a hospital so they can deal with it?" Toby asked as he stepped forward and tugged the jacket aside enough to view the infant, only to pull his hand back like it'd been burned, "Darcy! That's a shapeshifter!"

"I know, I happen to have two eyes, both of which work rather nicely." Darcy sneered, "I just need to know how to care for it."

"You shouldn't even have it. Those things are born feral half the time, you know."

"Tobias, it isn't feral."

"How could you possibly know that?"

"Cause when I picked the bloody thing up, it cuddled me."

"... You're off your rocker. It took over a thousand years, but you've finally snapped."

Darcy bared his teeth, hissing low in the back of his throat, knowing Toby, being a witch, could see Darcy for exactly what he was, not as the normal man others saw him as thanks to the charmed necklace he wore, "Sssshut it."

"That's the only explanation for why you're currently coddling a little beast."

Darcy raised a brow, "Tobias, look at it. It's curled up to my chest like I'm its mother."

"I think you just _want_ to be its mother."

Darcy heaved a sigh, "Listen, will you look the damned thing over and help me, or shall I find someone else to help me?"

Toby looked conflicted, then groaned, "Fine, fine. I'll grab it a bottle and check for injuries."

"Thank you. Really." Darcy said softly, the exhaustion from the sudden situation showing in his ancient, inhuman eyes, "I appreciate you helping me with this."

"Don't thank me until you're sure it won't bite your fingers off." Toby grumbled as he headed to his kitchen for a bottle and formula.

Darcy took a seat on the couch, crossing his legs with a small shake of his head, unable to keep from smiling, "So much trouble for such a tiny thing."

Toby entered the room with a freshly made bottle and handed it to Darcy, "Keep it tilted so the kid doesn't end up swallowing air, and support its head." He advised.

Darcy was hesitant, but followed Toby's advice, and the baby instantly latched onto the bottle, drinking like it had gone without for days, and hell, for all Darcy knew, it had. Darcy felt something akin to warmth in his chest as the infant grabbed at one of his fingers, and damn it all to hell, because he was so completely screwed, as the tiny, dirty bundle in his arms already laid claim to his heart. Toby left, probably to gather medical supplies and to find something for the baby to wear, and Darcy couldn't help a small chuckle as the baby reached up towards his face, and once it finished the bottle, Darcy cradled it gently, humming softly.

"How anyone could abandon such a gentle creature is beyond me." He mused.

Toby reentered the room, and he extended his hands to take the child, and Darcy immediately handed the baby over, and Toby got to work giving it a bath as well as a physical examination to check for injury. After nearly a half hour, he handed the child back to Darcy, who was only too happy to see the now clean, bubbly baby.

"He's lacking in nutrition, but it's likely from not eating." Toby explained, "No physical problems, except he seems stuck in between forms, but that's probably a matter of age and experience."

Darcy nodded along, grinning with a soft laugh at how the baby boy reached for his necklace, "So he's okay?"

"He's fine. Healthy, even." Toby assured Darcy, then after a bit of silence, he spoke up again, "What will you name it?"

Darcy pondered it as he took his necklace off and dangled it for the baby to reach for, "Hmm.. What would a good name for a panther shapeshifter be, huh?" He cooed lovingly, causing the baby to babble and squeal, "Patton. That will be his name."

"How… Unique." Toby spoke slowly.

"Careful, Tobias, I'm not above vanishing all the cutlery in your apartment." Darcy warned.

"I didn't say anything!"

"Didn't have to." Darcy winked, then put his necklace back on, kissing Patton on the forehead once, "I assume I'll be doing quite a bit of shopping in the next few days."

"I'll send you a list of things to get." Toby promised, and Darcy gave him a thankful smile.

"I appreciate this, you know, I really do. I haven't the slightest clue of how to care for children."

Toby nodded once, placing a hand on Darcy's shoulder, "I don't… Agree with your choice to keep it around, but you know I'll support you no matter what."

Darcy sighed, and looked down at Patton once again, "Do you know what I see in this baby, Tobias?" After Toby didn't answer, Darcy continued, "I see myself. You're young, only twenty four, so all you've ever known of me is the powerful man I am today, but at one point, I was like this: scared, abandoned, neglected. When I lost my coven, I was reckless and angry and so very bitter, and I sought out comfort from other witches, but it wasn't until I had full control over my powers and could be of use to anyone that I was kept around."

"Darcy…" Toby's voice was verging on pity, and Darcy scowled.

"I got where I am because of the difficult choices I had to make. My point is that I won't let something so in need go without: I refuse to. Even though I'm not really a witch anymore, I still keep to their values of family. This child is going to live a happy life, I refuse to bring sadness and hardship to him, and all I wish for in return is for him to not make the same mistakes I did, for him to not waste centuries wallowing in self pity because nobody wants him. I want him, and I want to care for him, and that should be all that matters."

Toby gave Darcy's shoulder a gentle, reassuring squeeze, "You never talk about this, you know, your life before this."

Darcy smiled through his exhaustion, "There's no point in dwelling on the past, my dear boy." He said softly, then stood, "I should be off, I've got a long night ahead of me, and I doubt I'll sleep for any of it."

Toby nodded, then gave a sly grin, "Now that you're raising a kid I guess this means no more Fridays at the bar."

Darcy scoffed, rolling his eyes, "Oh please, as if any of you will miss me."

"Ouch, old man."

Darcy grinned, then raised his hand and snapped his fingers, appearing in his own bedroom.

He had nothing for a baby to sleep in, so after a bit of work moving pillows around, he had a makeshift crib for the night, with four pillows creating walls so Patton wouldn't roll off the bed, and after clearing the bed of other pillows and blankets, he carefully placed Patton down, who had fallen asleep back at Toby's house. Darcy saw no point in moving to the living room, so he simply sat among the pillows he'd tossed to the floor, pressing a hand to his mouth as he yawned. It had been quite the day indeed, and Darcy snapped his fingers to change out of his suit and into an oversized shirt and pants, not wanting to bother doing it by hand, and every once in a while, he'd take a peek at Patton, telling himself it was just out of curiosity, but he knew deep down he wanted to make sure the baby was okay.

Darcy had just managed to fall asleep when he heard shrill crying, and he jumped up as fast as he could manage, taking Patton into his arms like he'd been doing it for years. Patton continued to cry, but not for much longer, as when he was picked up, he quieted almost instantly, seemingly only wanting to be held.

"All is fine, my love." Darcy whispered softly, "I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

Darcy settled onto the bed as he rubbed one of Patton's ears between his fingers, surprised that the little one was stuck between forms, since it wasn't exactly a common thing among shapeshifters, and Darcy knew deep down that he could use a spell to keep Patton human, but Patton was just so adorable with his cat ears and tail, and Darcy knew it was a bad idea for humans to see, since he'd likely have to bring Patton with him for things like tours and readings, so he decided to make up a glamour charm for the child so only other supernatural creatures could see what he was. Until then, Darcy figured, he would just stay home with the baby, that or find a hoodie of sorts to hide Patton's less human qualities.

Patton reached up towards Darcy's face and touched the scales there, seemingly unafraid, and Darcy would have told you that was the moment he had known this child would never leave his side, but in all reality, his heart belonged to the little shapeshifter the moment he'd laid eyes on him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has some violence, sex mention, and a lil bit of spice, so be warned

"Papa!" was the only warning Darcy got before a toddler sized weight dropped onto his chest, causing him to groan.

He rubbed at his eyes and looked down at his chest, seeing Patton who was gleefully smiling, cat ears twitching as his tail lashed.

"Kitten, what are you doing up?" Darcy asked as he sat up, an arm around Patton to keep him from falling, "The sun isn't even up."

"Magic!" Patton cheered, and Darcy knew exactly what he wanted.

"If I do the magic, will you settle down for a bit?" He asked, and when he got an eager nod in return, he couldn't help the fond smile that made its way onto his face, "Alright, alright."

Darcy raised a hand and let his yellow magic pour from his fingertips, tracing meaningless paths through the air until a cat formed from the light, running around the room to chase after a ball of yarn made of light that had also been conjured by Darcy. Patton reached up to grab for the cat, causing it to disappear, only to reform a bit out of Patton's reach, and Darcy chuckled at how the boy tried to reach for the cat again.

Darcy caught Patton’s attention with a kiss to his hair, then held his hand out. It was a game of sorts, seeing how he could surprise Patton with light art, and Patton happily pried Darcy’s hand open, which let out several butterflies that flew around Patton and occasionally landed on him. Patton of course was squealing with glee as he tried to grab the butterflies, and Darcy watched the little shapeshifter in silence. It had been three years since he’d found Patton, and in that time he’d been the best guardian he could, having added another room to his home (via magic of course), he took to reading up on kids, and took Patton with him to work to ensure he had proper care at all times. His entire life had come to revolve around Patton, and while he’d never admit it aloud, not being alone certainly had made him happier, especially when his days were filled with laughter and joy.

Said reason for his joy seemed to have grown sleepy and slumped against Darcy’s chest, purring quietly, and Darcy chuckled softly, scooping Patton up into his arms as he headed to his living room. With Patton awake, Darcy knew he wouldn’t get any more sleep, and with a snap of fingers, the two were changed out of sleepwear and in clothes for their day. Darcy made himself some tea and sat to read with Patton still held close, and every once in a while, he’d kiss Patton on the head to soothe away the nightmares that Patton had experienced for his entire time with Darcy. Darcy supposed it likely had to do with his abandonment, and he simply did what he could to make sure the boy had as many pleasant dreams as possible.

When Patton finally woke, the sun was up, and Darcy was still reading, tea aside and long forgotten. It was a routine, one Darcy had come to treasure, where Patton would lie on his chest while Darcy read or did something else mundane of that nature, and once Patton grew hungry, Darcy would begin the day.

After making Patton breakfast and finishing getting ready, Darcy carried Patton with him to the office, occasionally grinning at how Patton’s ears twitched at every little noise. Patton had to have been the most aware child Darcy had ever known, though it likely had to do with him being half big cat, but Darcy was proud of him no matter what, proud that the little helpless baby he’d found three years prior had grown and began to thrive.

Darcy reached his office and unlocked the door, heading inside. He paused as he felt a shift of energy from the previous night, and electricity crackled over the hand that wasn’t supporting Patton. Darcy slunk forward, shoulders tense, only to huff in annoyance at what he saw awaiting him at his desk.

“What are you doing here? I don’t service your kind. Get out.” Darcy spat as his hand lost its charge.

“I’m not here for a fortune reading, Darcy, I’m here for actual help.” the vampire at his desk drawled.

“And as I previously said, I don’t offer my gifts to your kind. Get out, Nathaniel.” Darcy repeated, “Or I’ll make you into an example of why vampires don’t belong in New Orleans.”

“Come now, no need to be so snappy. If this is about us sleeping together five hundred years back, I can assure you, I moved on.”

Darcy hissed at Nate, narrowing his eyes as he used a spell to block out Nate’s voice from Patton’s hearing, “Careful, you idiot, there’s a child in the room.”

“Oh yes, the shapeshifter you scraped off the sidewalk.” Nate scoffed, “Darcy, I always knew you had a soft spot for beasts, but truly, it’s been three years. Isn’t it time you get back to your duties?”

“I can very well carry out my duties, not that you’d know.” Darcy sneered, “Out of my office, Nathaniel, before your vampire stink settles in.”

“Not until I have your help.”

“I already told you-”

“Hunters were spotted in the city.” Nate cut Darcy off, then looked up when Darcy didn’t speak, “Your little… Pet will be in danger unless they’re removed.”

Darcy’s hold on Patton tightened, and he swallowed thickly, “You’re lying.”

“Why would I risk my life showing up at your doorstep after I stole from you if I wasn’t telling the truth? Everyone is worked into a panic, and you’re the only immortal witch within a thousand miles.”

Darcy pressed his face to Patton’s dark curls, then let out a sharp sigh, “How many?”

“Dunno, at least six. Three different clans reported attacks, and apparently they’ve taken to attempting to kidnap the children.” Nate explained as he examined a framed photo on Darcy’s desk of Patton, picking it up in one hand, “What’s with the kid? He your new attempt at being human? You always did have a problem with letting go of the past, I just figured you’d find something better to occupy your time with than a filthy, feral-”

Darcy snatched the frame from Nate’s hand, “There are things we should establish, yes? My child is none of your concern, and neither is why I keep him with me. If I’m to help you with your hunter problem, you’re going to show us both basic respect. While you’re a bastard, I happen to know you have some semblance of manners.”

Nate watched Darcy rant, then quirked a brow with a smirk, “_Your_ child? Oh, Darcy, you _have_ gone soft.”

Darcy flexed his jaw, breathed, then sat on the couch in his office, all the while still holding Patton close, “I’m only doing this for him so the hunters don’t come after him next, so thank your lucky stars he’s here.”

Nate rolled his eyes, “The Darcy Lightweld I knew would never have let this come so far.”

Darcy rubbed Patton’s back lightly as he began to drift in and out of sleep, “Perhaps you never knew who I was after all.”

“Obviously not.” he grumbled.

“Oh, don’t pout, Nathaniel, it was never a good look on you.” Darcy smirked, “Let me make a call and I can get to work on this and get you out of here.”

Nate rolled his eyes again, “Yeah, fine, whatever, just don’t keep the kid around.”

“I never intended to. Unlike you, with age, I’ve grown wiser, and don’t see fit to keep a toddler around while searching for hunters.” Darcy chuckled as he pulled his mobile phone from his pocket. After hitting a familiar contact, he put the phone to his ear, yawning softly.

“What, fortune readings run out for you already?” Toby asked as he answered the phone.

“Hardly.” Darcy shrugged, kissing Patton’s forehead once, “I’ve had an unfortunate arrival come across my doorstep, and I’m in need of your assistance in watching Patton for a bit while I deal with something.”

“Really? Sure, I mean, you know I’m always happy to watch him, but what’s up?”

“Nothing to worry yourself over, dear, just a bit of a hunter problem. I’ve got some… Undesirable company.” Darcy finished, unable to fight a grin at the glare that earned him from Nate, “I’ll of course compensate you for your time.”

“Nah, it’s cool, I have nothing to do today anyway. Want me to come by your office and take him home with me?”

“I’d much prefer you two stay here, what with this nasty hunter business.”

“Sure. Gimme ten minutes to get ready and I’ll be right over.” Toby said excitedly before hanging up.

Toby, as promised, showed up and took Patton, who was all too happy to see his uncle, but as Toby caught sight of Nate, he scowled, “Bloodsuckers make a habit of visiting New Orleans, or is it just _you_?”

“How is it that I keep running into people I’ve slept with today?” Nate asked.

“That’ll happen when you’re a whore.” Darcy murmured, handing Patton off to Toby.

“I was drunk and he looked a lot more attractive through the haze. What’s your excuse?” Toby asked Darcy.

“It had been half a century.” Darcy admitted, “The bastard had the nerve to steal from me and run out before the sun came up.”

“Not my fault you lied to me.” Nate huffed, “I wouldn’t have stolen your stupid necklace if I’d known it was only a glamour charm.”

“No, it was worse, you thought it was the source of my abilities and wanted it so you could use it for yourself.” Darcy said as he gave a none too happy smile, “So while I may have been desperate, you only slept with me because you wanted my power.”

“... That and you looked good in a dress.”

“Oh, _do_ shut up, Nathaniel.”

Nate put his hands up in surrender, sitting on the edge of Darcy’s desk, “Okay, fine. What are we doing about the hunters?”

“I’m going to track them down and kill every last one until it rains blood.” Darcy cooed lovingly at Patton who was reaching for his guardian.

“... I rather regret coming to you now.” Nate admitted.

“So long as you don’t pose a threat to Patton, you don’t need to worry about me.” Darcy promised, lightly caressing Patton’s cheek with the back of his hand, “Simple enough even for the likes of you to understand.”

“The insults are cute, but can we move on?”

Darcy chuckled softly, kissing Patton on the forehead once, “Alright, alright. I’ll need some time to track down the energy of any humans invading the space of our fellow supernatural creatures, and then I’ll go deal with it myself, meanwhile, you two will stay here.”

“... Is that a good idea?” Toby asked hesitantly, “A sudden spike in human deaths will turn heads.”

“And if we do nothing, more of our people will die.” Nate scowled, “This isn’t up for negotiation.”

“Hm…” Darcy grabbed a grimoire from the bookshelf where he kept his collection, then flipped pages, scanning the words written in his own elegant script, “I could cast a spell to heighten their fear and while I’m at it, I’ll go make an example out of one of them. Only one body, then.”

“Oh, boo, that’s no fun.” Nate groaned, sinking into the couch, “You used to be so much more adventurous.”

“I used to drink too much booze and spend time with people who I had no business being around. Now can I trust that my angel will be safe with you around?"

Nate nodded once, "Won't touch him, promise."

Darcy took Patton from Toby, giving Patton's cheek a single kiss, "I have to go for a bit. Be good for your uncle."

The look Patton gave Darcy nearly made him tell Nate off, because his starlight looked absolutely _heartbroken_, "Papa, no go."

"It won't be long, kitten, and I have very important things to do."

Patton teared up, and shoved his face against Darcy's chest, "_No_!"

"Patton." Darcy said firmly, and Patton stiffened in his arms at the serious tone, "I'll be right back. You know I'd never leave you, my love."

Patton peeked up at Darcy, face tear-stained, "Promise?"

Darcy's heart melted, and he tapped the tip of Patton's nose with his index finger, causing the little shapeshifter to giggle and squirm, "I promise, my darling."

Patton, satisfied with Darcy's promise, gave his father a kiss on the cheek, hugging around his neck as he did so. Patton went with Toby easily now, and Darcy set out to the streets, ready to take down the hunters at the mere idea that they might hurt his child.

\----

It took some work, but after an hour, Darcy stood in front of the hideout the hunters had taken up. He spoke his spell then vanished the grimoire, sending it back to his office before he conjured his walking stick and tore his necklace from his neck, knowing full well that now anyone could see him for what he was. He approached the door of the hideout house and knocked on it with the end of his cane, assessing his surroundings in silence.

These hunters were professionals, he could tell by the cameras hidden in various spots including a flower pot and the doorbell, but it didn't matter, because no creature on the planet could truly harm Darcy, let alone kill him.

The front door swung open, and he was met with the barrel of a gun, "Oh, how horrifying, a gun." Darcy said dryly, "However will I cope?"

As he asked, he ducked down, tugging the concealed sword from his walking stick, the blunt end slamming against the hunter's ribs, causing them to stumble back and gasp for air. Darcy realized with amusement that he was now surrounded by more hunters with guns, and he turned the weapons to ash, watching the dying embers slip from the grip of his assailants.

"Oh, darlings, you _do_ realize you have no hope of competing with me, yes? I'm _beyond_ your level." He purred as he sheathed his sword, "I'm only here to make an offer."

One of the hunters pulled a knife, and lunged at Darcy, who simply moved gracefully out of the way so the hunter ran into one of their own, the two landing in a heap on the floor.

"I'll propose a deal, yes? New Orleans is a safe haven for my people and others like me, and having you rowdy lot running around doesn't bode well for our safety, so I'll ask once that you leave town. I'll of course pay you back for your troubles, so long as you swear to never step foot in this city ever again."

As Darcy finished speaking, he heard yelling, then huffed in annoyance, throwing the hunter who had just wedged a knife into his windpipe off with a flick of his wrist. He gripped the handle of the knife and pulled it from his throat, the wound sealing shut on its own as he tossed the bloodied blade to the floor.

He noted the coppery taste of blood in his mouth, and he spat on the floor in disgust, "This shirt is _silk_, you heathens."

He could practically smell the fear become stronger in the room, and he smirked, "So you've finally realized what I am. Shame, you know. I didn't actually want to kill anyone tonight, but I suppose we don't always get what we want."

The same idiot hunter from before lunged at Darcy, but it was over before the hunter could get close. Darcy withdrew his sword from the sheath, and with a single swift, deadly, and practiced movement, the hunter stilled, blood dripping down his neck. Seconds later, the decapitated head slid off the shoulders of the hunter, only to fall to the ground with a thud followed by the rest of the corpse. There was screaming, then all the remaining hunters scattered, and Darcy calmly walked from the house, sheathing his sword before vanishing the walking stick. He concentrated for a moment, and the yellow stone of his glamour charm appeared, though it was no longer on the delicate gold chain it had previously been on, it was set in a golden ring, and Darcy hummed in appreciation at his handiwork as he slid the ring on, the fit perfect.

His clothes were bloodied, torn, and ruined, and he huffed in annoyance, snapping his fingers to upgrade his wardrobe since his jewelry was newer now too, the blood from his fight disappearing from his skin. He decided not to go quite as elaborate as what he'd been wearing before, and dressed in a yellow silk dress shirt that matched his eyes, a black vest over that, and he stuck to slacks and leather shoes, but decided to let himself come off a tad more casual, and he undid the top buttons of his shirt, rolling his shirt sleeves up as well. Once his outfit was completed, he tugged on yellow gloves to match his shirt, snapping his fingers to appear back in his office.

The first thing he saw was his Patton fast asleep on the couch, and he sat on the edge of it, lightly touching Patton’s cheek, checking to make sure nothing had happened in his absence. When he saw Patton was truly fine, he relaxed considerably. He leaned down to kiss Patton's forehead, granting him happy and easy dreams, then he decided to check on Nate and Toby, who he was prepared to chew out for leaving Patton alone.

He heard rustling in his storage closet as he headed to his lobby, and he raised a brow, heaving a sigh as he realized rats must have gotten in. He figured it was better to deal with them now and snapped his fingers to make the door swing open, only to immediately shrink back in disgust.

He'd certainly walked in on _something_, what with Toby and Nate clutching one another as they kissed feverishly, and he realized Nate's neck was covered with hickeys with faint amusement. Toby wasn't much better, his hair a mess, a single bite mark from Nate feeding bleeding ever so slightly. Both men had frozen and turned to Darcy, eyes blown wide as they panted softly, quickly releasing one another.

"Do control yourselves." Darcy hissed, "A child is in the next room, and while the irony of this happening in the closet isn't lost on me, I'll have to kindly request that you two move this elsewhere before I teleport you to the bayou."

Toby dragged a hand through his messy hair, flushing red in embarrassment, "It wasn't-I just-he hadn't fed in a week-"

Darcy held a hand up, "You two are grown men and can do what you'd like, but I'll have to ask that you don't do it where Patton could walk in on you, or anywhere that I might touch." Darcy sneered in disgust at the idea of Toby and Nate having gone further and dirtied his office, "Go on, I'll lock up."

"... Sorry, Darc." Toby said softly.

"_I'm_ not sorry." Nate admitted, "I had a great time."

Darcy gave Nate a look, "Nathaniel, nobody was speaking to you."

"Doesn't mean I won't still say something."

"Oh get out of here and continue on clawing at each other like wild animals, won't you?" Darcy spat, "If I find a single thing in this office with bodily fluids of any kind on it, I'll make you two scrub this place clean."

Nate snickered and pushed past Darcy, "Later, witch boy."

As the door shut, Toby looked away, "If you don't want me to see him-"

Darcy took one of Toby's hands, "It isn't that, and you know it. Nathaniel betrayed me, and so I just want you to be wary that he might do the same to you. You're a good man, Tobias, and I don't want to see my oldest friend being taken advantage of."

Toby took a steadying breath and nodded, "I'll be careful, I promise."

Darcy gave Toby's hand a gentle squeeze then let go, picking Patton up happily, "Then run along, I'll call you tomorrow."

"Where are you off to?" Toby asked curiously.

Darcy kissed Patton's hair with a tiny smile, "I'm going home to spend the day with my son."

With that, Darcy locked up his office and walked home, his entire world purring happily in his arms.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For context in this chapter:  
Toby is a trans man  
Shapeshifters sticking between forms is frowned upon, it's seen as immoral and wrong. Pat doesn't stick fully to either of his forms because it's hard for him to do without focusing, and he finds it easiest and most comfortable when he's in his in between form  
Feel free to ask any questions you may have about the story or the universe it's set in!

"He's six years old now." Darcy sighed into his martini, "I shouldn't worry about him spending the night at the school for a lock in, but I keep considering that maybe a child took his glamour charm, or maybe he isn't getting on well with anyone. Am I being too dramatic?"

"Yes." Nate answered at the same time that Toby said, "No."

Darcy sighed again, then tossed his drink back, wincing slightly at the familiar burn of alcohol, "I have no clue why I'm even asking you two, you don't have children."

"You make it sound like a bad thing." Nate scoffed, "Not that we haven't had enough sex to make one-"

Toby elbowed Nate hard, "Shut it."

Nate threw an arm around his boyfriend with a faint smirk, "Oh, darling, don't lie, if it weren't for your spell to keep from getting knocked up, we'd have at least ten half vampires running around."

Darcy grunted in distaste at the route the conversation had taken, "You really have no tact, Nathaniel."

"Don't have to, I roped this one in just fine without it." Nate replied as he motioned to Toby.

"You're a moron." Toby groaned.

Nate smirked and pulled Toby in close, giving him a single, loving kiss, "I'm _your_ moron."

Darcy waved a hand, his glass refilling itself, and he picked up the now full drink, sipping it once, "You two are charming, really, but if you keep eye fucking one another, I'm going to strangle the both of you."

"Oh come on, Darcy, don't be a grump." Nate whined, "How bad could your dry spell be? Six years? Ten?"

"Five hundred and thirty seven." Darcy admitted as he relaxed in the booth the trio sat in, "But this isn't about a dry spell, this is me worrying for my child."

"Just keep drinking until you aren't worried."

Toby elbowed Nate again, "Stop being insensitive!"

Nate wrapped his arms around Toby, tugging him in for a hug, "Don't be that way, daring, you know I'm just trying to be funny."

Toby rolled his eyes, though he was smiling, and he wrapped an arm around Nate's shoulders, kissing him gently, "You maybe trying, but you aren't doing so well at it."

"Good thing I'm not a comedian, then."

"I dunno, when you tripped and fell last week I laughed rather hard." Darcy teased, cheeks pink as the alcohol began to get to him.

"Careful, Darc." Toby warned softly, "Last time you got drunk, things ended badly."

Darcy finished his drink and waved a hand, "I'm done, don't worry. I can't get too wasted; I have to pick Patton up tomorrow at nine."

"How unfair is it that you can conjure refills at will?" Nate questioned, "You paid for one drink and got sixteen without paying."

"How unfair is it that you have a low tolerance?" Darcy bit back, smirking as he crossed his legs, "I have to drink more to get buzzed. Unfortunately, part of being an immortal witch means that my body does a good job of handling alcohol."

Toby snickered softly at Nate's raised brow, "Careful, baby, he gets sassier when drunk."

"How come you don't come out drinking more often, then?" Nate asked Darcy, arms still around Toby.

Darcy opened his mouth to speak, paused, then shrugged one shoulder, "The last time I let myself get drunk was twenty three years ago, and it ended with me killing a human."

"And that's… _Bad_?"

Darcy bared his fangs and hissed, "If you're going to be a brat, I'll jusssst go."

Toby put a hand on Nate's arm, giving him a look of warning, "That's enough." He said softly.

Nate looked away and huffed quietly, "Geez, sorry, didn't realize it was a sensitive topic."

Darcy didn't look up, snapping his fingers once to sober himself with a spell, "I should go and call Patton's teacher, catch up on how he's doing."

"Darc." Toby started, but before he could say anymore, Darcy tossed down a crisp hundred dollar bill for the two other men to get a few drinks with before he walked outside.

Darcy walked along the streets of New Orleans, shoulders hunched as he stared down at the ground. He'd never been proud of his lapses in control, and he certainly wasn't proud of the times he'd killed innocents, especially when he had killed a human twenty three years before. Sure, he had been forgiven, and even though Toby's grandfather had been old and not young, he still felt so guilty for killing him. Toby had been graceful in his forgiveness, but Darcy knew he'd caused pain, and that was the one thing witches weren't meant to do, but then again, Darcy was no witch, he was an abomination. Immortality was never meant to be granted to anyone, but he'd cheated death by giving up what had made him human, what had made him a _person_.

Darcy was torn from his brooding as he heard soft panting, and he narrowed his eyes, tilting his head up slightly to sniff the air.

Blood. Not human, but not witch or vampire. Darcy conjured his walking stick and followed the scent of blood until he reached a back alley, and he listened for any more signs of life.

Something behind him dashed for the end of the alley, and Darcy teleported in front of the figure, sword drawn and aimed at the person who had tried to run. He was fully prepared for anything, that was, anything but a boy who appeared only a couple years older than Patton who was currently bleeding and limping due to a gash in his leg.

Darcy's mouth went dry, and as the little boy burst into tears and covered his face with his hands, Darcy vanished the sword, kneeling in front of the child, "Shh, I apologize, I mistook you for a hostile party. Don't cry, love."

"Please don't kill m-me." The boy hiccupped, and Darcy felt his heart break just a little.

"That isn't my way, little one." Darcy said softly, eyeing the gash on the boy's leg, "What's your name, darling?"

The boy peeked at Darcy, eyes wandering from Darcy's fangs to his eyes to the various patches of scales visible on Darcy's face, arms, and neck, "E-Emile."

Darcy gave a gentle smile, "Emile is a lovely name. My name is Darcy Lightweld."

"L-Like the witch?"

Darcy chuckled softly, "Yes, like the witch." He offered his hand to Emile, "May I take a look at your leg, Emile?"

Emile looked hesitant, looked scared, but after a few moments he swallowed hard and nodded, and Darcy had Emile sit. Emile's leg was in bad shape, appearing to have been caught in some sort of trap. It was a miracle Emile could walk, and Darcy moved his hand so it hovered a couple inches from Emile's wounds, letting his golden essence flow into Emile's wound.

Emile watched in genuine awe as his leg healed before his eyes, and once it had fully healed, he lightly touched the now flawless skin, "It's _okay_."

Darcy moved to sit beside Emile, body language open and relaxed, something he'd learned put Patton at ease when it came to strangers, "May I ask what you're doing out here?"

Emile's wonder-filled gaze shifted, and tears gathered in his eyes, "My family is… Gone. Hunters found us in the Bayou and caught all of them."

Darcy nodded once, "May I ask what you are?"

Emile wiped his face as tears began to fall, "A merman."

Darcy had heard the rumors-everyone had. Merfolk were often dismissed as fiction, though, in no small part due to how rare they were, though that was attributed to hunters finding them to sell for decorations. In recent years, merfolk were regarded as fairy tales, but Darcy knew better than to be closed-minded, and he found himself unsurprised. If Emile's people had been taken by hunters, there was no chance he'd see them again, and Darcy's heart ached for the boy.

"How long ago did this happen?" Darcy questioned quietly.

"Three days." Emile whispered.

"You've been on your own for _three days_?"

Emile didn't speak now, and Darcy sighed. The boy was weak, pale, and in desperate need of a shower and something to eat, and so Darcy stood, brushing himself off as he did so before offering a hand to Emile.

"It isn't safe to be on the streets if hunters are running around. You can have a shower and something to eat at my home if you'd like."

Emile glanced at Darcy's hand, then his face, and after swallowing nervously, he took Darcy's hand and pulled himself up to stand, and Darcy snapped his fingers to teleport them back home.

\----

Not three hours later, Emile was fast asleep in Darcy's bed, showered and dressed in clean clothes that Darcy had conjured. The boy had eaten his fill, and after being sent to bed with a glass of water, Darcy picked up his phone to make a few calls, the first being to a supernatural orphanage, but he grew frustrated as the place informed him that they couldn't accept more children for a full three days.

"Then let me speak to someone who can get things moved along!" Darcy hissed in annoyance, pacing back and forth across his living room, "This child has nowhere else to go!"

"These things take time, Mr.Lightweld." the receptionist explained, "You can begin the paperwork if you give us a name and species."

"His name is Emile and he's a-" Darcy stopped midway through his sentence. Merfolk were rare, and him handing Emile over would result in his lineage coming to light, meaning anyone competent enough to hack the records could find out a rare species was housed there. Hell, if a worker found out and was strapped for cash, they could easily hand Emile over for a quick buck, and the child would share a similar fate as his family.

"Mr.Lightweld?" The receptionist asked softly as the pause drew along.

Darcy's grip on his phone tightened and he swallowed thickly, "All is well. I'll find accommodations for him. Thank you for your assistance."

"But-" the receptionist didn't get another word in before Darcy hung up, and he tossed his phone aside, sinking into the couch as he rubbed at his eyes. He had promised himself he wouldn't get involved in such things, wouldn't put Patton at risk, but the thought of his son being like little Emile, in need and alone, made Darcy's resolve shatter, and he let out a slow, calming breath as he sagged back against the couch, and his eyes drifted shut as he felt himself relax for the first time since he'd last had Patton with him.

That relaxation was gone as his phone went off, and he snatched his phone up, heart sinking as he saw it was Patton's school, and he answered, "Hello, Mr.Williams. What can I do for you?"

"Well, something came up. Patton and some other kids got into an altercation, and we need you to pick him up."

Darcy straightened, standing as he picked his jacket up from the back of the loveseat, "Is he okay?"

"He's… A bit roughed up, but besides that, he's fine."

"I'm in the neighborhood, I'll be right there." Darcy growled before hanging up, and he tugged his jacket on, snapping his fingers to appear outside the school.

He stepped inside without hesitation, tense and alert as his eyes scanned for his son, and he stopped as he saw two big, green eyes glowing in the dark, and he felt relief.

"Get over here." He said as he fell to his knees, and Patton launched himself into his dad's arms, happily accepting kisses all over his face.

"Papa!" Patton squeaked as Darcy kissed his nose, trying to duck away as Darcy grabbed his face in his hands to inspect him, "Papa, stop!" He whined.

Darcy noticed Patton's hood was up and forced it down, then put a hand to his mouth, eyes widening in horror at what he saw. Patton's ears had been cut, and Darcy raised a hand to lightly touch them, realizing they were still bleeding, and he instantly healed them, noting that it would take time for the fur to grow back since a lot of it had been shaved off. It appeared that had been the source of the bleeding, a botched attempt to shave the fur away, and Darcy felt anger swell in his chest.

"Was it those other shapeshifters?" Darcy demanded, and when Patton refused to answer, Darcy scooped him up and stood, "You're alright, kitten, I'm here now."

Patton pulled his hood up and hid his face against Darcy's chest, and Darcy saw the other parents walk in, as well as Mr.Williams, who had all of the other children involved in tow.

"You lot need to control your children!" Darcy snarled, "Do you know what they did to my son?!"

One of the parents stepped forward, a woman dressed in a snug, silk dress, a parent Darcy had recalled overhearing speaking about the "politics" of half humans, and he knew before she even opened her mouth that she was going to say something truly idiotic.

"I'm sure whatever happened isn't as big of a deal as you're making it out to be." She shrugged, neatly folding her hands in front of her, "You know how kids are."

Darcy would have hexed her, would have fought her, but he was a parent, and despite being enraged, he knew he had to remain in control, "Your children left his ears bloodied and torn up! You should be thankful I could heal it, because if I'd had to seek help to help him, you'd all be getting more than yelled at!"

Another parent piped up with, "Well it's his fault, isn't it? He asks for it by staying like… That."

Darcy bared his fangs, and a few parents backed up, and their children began to grow fearful as they seemed to gauge that they had royally fucked up, "He's six years old! He is a _child_, and you're really about to blame him for being attacked by _your_ children?! Do I need to remind you of what I did to the last people so stupidly came after my family?!"

Mr.Williams looked wearily between the adults and took a step closer to Darcy, "Look, it was an honest mistake, they're just curious-"

Darcy backed up a step, growling in warning as he held Patton against himself. Patton didn't hear a thing since Darcy had muted the adults from all of the children, and Patton simply held tight onto his father as he waited to go back home to safety and security.

"Your job as a professional is to watch my son and to make sure he comes back to me unharmed. This is the first instance of him being harmed on purpose in six years, and it happens to fall on the same night you were set to watch him. If you're going to bow to the whim of these buffoons, you could at least be less obvious about it."

"It was an accident, Mr.Lightweld, and we can assure you it won't happen again." Mr.Williams promised, but Darcy sensed how empty the promise was, and he narrowed his eyes.

"No need to assure me, because I'm withdrawing my son from this program and will no longer be contributing donations for the foundation that runs this private school. I'll be sure to let Tobias Hawthorne and Nathaniel Daniels know of this as well. Their families are big donors, no? I'm sure they'll be none too happy to hear that their nephew was assaulted."

Mr.Williams looked gutted, and he sputtered as he tried to find a way to resolve things as Darcy headed to the doors, "The Daniels and Hawthorne families run the foundation, Mr.Lightweld. Without their donations, this private academy for the highest members of our community would cease to exist."

Darcy stopped, a hand on the door, and he glanced over his shoulder, breath catching. The academy promised integration of supernatural species into the elite schools that humans had established, and without it, such integration would be much more difficult, especially considering many families didn't care to send their supernatural children to human academies for fear of their kids being found out, and without integration, it meant the best jobs would go to humans and humans alone.

Darcy turned slightly to look at the group of adults, then began to laugh, a devilish grin spreading over his face as his yellow eyes glowed, "Then you'd best find yourselves a solution, cunts."

With that, he raised a hand, snapped his fingers, and he and Patton vanished into thin air.

\----

Darcy appeared with Patton in his living room, and he kissed his son's cheek, "Are you well, my love?"

Patton nodded quickly, "Papa, can you make me not like this?"

Darcy felt anger flare in his chest, and he ran his hand through Patton's dark locks, "Like what?"

Patton sniffled as a single tear fell, "Like. Like _weird_."

Darcy sat on the couch, Patton held in his lap, "Well, what's weird about you?"

"My tail. And my ears, a-and my eyes." Patton rambled.

"Let me ask you something, Patton. Are my eyes weird? My fangs? My scales?" Darcy questioned.

Patton looked up, green eyes wide, and he shook his head quickly, "No, papa. You're pretty."

Darcy felt himself smile fondly, and he cupped Patton's cheek in one hand, unable to keep himself from chuckling as Patton leaned into Darcy's hand, shut his eyes, and began to purr, "Your eyes, my darling, are stunning. Your ears are magnificent, and your tail is adorable. You are _beautiful_, kitten, no matter what others may think."

Patton rubbed his face against Darcy's palm, tail curling as Patton was praised, "Why are they mean to me?"

Darcy paused as he considered the question, "Because they don't understand you. Being different has beauty in it, Patton, but others fear what they don't know. What matters is that you're who you are and that you never let them change who you are on the inside. You're strong, loving, and compassionate. Those are what make you wonderful. What people look like doesn't matter, kitten, it's how they treat others that matters."

Patton nodded along, then looked up at his father, "Can we cuddle?"

Darcy scooped Patton up into his embrace, "Of course we can, Patton."

Darcy laid back on the couch, snapping his fingers so he changed into pajamas and so a blanket appeared on top of them, then he nuzzled Patton's face, "Tomorrow we can spend the day together. How's that sound?"

Patton yawned, settling against Darcy's chest, "Good."

Darcy shook his head with a chuckle, lovingly kissing Patton on the head, granting him easy sleep, "Sleep well, my angel."

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are always appreciated!


End file.
